Bringing Money Wise Workshops to Churcham Primary School
Some places just feel like home. That was the feeling when we arrived at Churcham Primary School to deliver our latest Money Wise Workshop. But this wasn’t just another workshop—it was a special moment of full-circle storytelling.
Why? Because Mark Davies, the new headteacher at Churcham, was one of the very first supporters of the Make Sense of Pence project. Back when he was deputy head at Twyning Primary, Mark helped bring our first-ever workshop to life. Now, years later, it was incredible to see him in his new role, continuing to champion financial education.
The Workshop: Surprising Answers & Lightbulb Moments
We delivered two engaging workshops—one for Years 3 & 4 and another for Years 5 & 6. As always, we explored where money comes from, how we spend it, and the difference between needs and wants. But what makes these sessions truly special is the unexpected moments.
💡 New Perspectives: For the first time ever, students suggested that you could get money through insurance claims and compensation for injuries—an insightful take on financial systems that we hadn’t heard before.
💡 The Great Tax Debate: Should we pay taxes? Are sweets essential? Year after year, the debate rages on. The younger students saw taxes as a burden, while some fiercely argued that sweets should be classified as a necessity!
💡 Brand Awareness Starts Young: One student identified a fake Air Up bottle at a glance—highlighting just how aware children are of branding and value perception, even at a young age.
💡 Cost Shockers: When asked how much a house costs, one student confidently guessed £1,000, another said £900—before being stunned by the reality of an average UK house price nearing £300,000.
Every session reminds us why we do this. Watching students have ‘aha!’ moments as they start to question, explore, and engage with money in real-world contexts is what Make Sense of Pence is all about.
Why Sponsorship Matters
This workshop, like so many others, was fully funded by Babcock, whose generous sponsorship ensures that children receive crucial financial education at no cost to schools. Without support from companies like Babcock, schools would have to self-fund these sessions—an increasingly difficult task with today’s tight budgets.
A huge thank you to Mark Davies, the staff, and all the incredible students at Churcham Primary School. We’re already in discussions to return next year, and we can’t wait to continue the journey.
